Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays ballpark - Ballparks of Baseball ROGERS CENTRE Toronto, ON An architectural marvel, the Rogers Centre is home to Major League Baseball’s only Canadian franchise, the Toronto Blue Jays. Opening in 1989, it was the first stadium with a retractable roof allowing any sport to be played indoors or outdoors, rain or shine. The idea to build a new stadium in Toronto began in 1923, but it was 63 years later when construction actually started. In the early 1970s Toronto began trying to lure a major league baseball team to the city, first trying to get the San Francisco Giants to relocate. They were unable to lure the Giants and sought to get MLB to expand to Toronto. In 1976 the city was awarded a major league franchise, the Toronto Blue Jays, who began playing in 1977. However, the city did not have a new stadium for the team to play at forcing the Blue Jays to play at Exhibition Stadium (primary a football stadium, but retrofitted to house baseball) for 12 seasons. In 1983 sites for a new domed stadium were proposed.

A site west of the CN Tower in downtown Toronto was chosen and groundbreaking ceremonies for the domed stadium were held on October 3, 1986. The stadium would be more than just a dome, it would feature a retractable roof and would be home to baseball, football and many other events. Naming the stadium was a way the public was able to participate in part of the stadium process as over 12,879 fans submitted a large variety of suggestions to name the stadium including names such as Alfresco Stadium, Railway Place and the Zipper Dome. The name chosen for the stadium was announced on May 11, 1987, SkyDome. For more than 15 years the stadium was known as SkyDome before being renamed. In February 2005, Rogers Communications bought the stadium for $25 million and renamed SkyDome, the Rogers Centre. MEMORABLE MOMENTS Blue Jays become first team to attract four million fans in 1991. Cy Young winner Roger Clemens in 1997 & ’98. Joe Carter’s game winning home run in Game 7 of the 1993 World Series.

Opening ceremonies at the SkyDome took place on June 3, 1989. Over 60,000 people watched the dome open for the first time. Two days later the Blue Jays made their debut at the on June 5, 1989 when 51,000 fans filled the stadium. The retractable roof consists of four independent panels. When the roof opens three of the four panels, two barrel shaped and one quarter dome, maneuver where they stack over the fourth panel at the north end of the stadium. Weighing over 21 million pounds, it takes 20 minutes for the roof to open or close. The Rogers Centre has five levels of seats that extend from right centerfield to homeplate and to left centerfield. All of the lower level seats are moveable and can form a football gridiron, as the Jays share the stadium with the Toronto Argonauts (CFL). The pitchers mound is raised and lowered hydraulically, when the field is not in the baseball mode. The Rogers Centre has many other unique features other than its retractable roof. The Rogers Centre Renaissance Hotel is part of the stadium.

It has 350 rooms, 70 that overlook the playing field. In centerfield is the 110 ft. wide by 33 ft. high HD video/scoreboard. After the 2004 season, the Astroturf was removed and replaced with Fieldturf. The Blue Jays have had success at the Rogers Centre, winning the 1992 and 1993 World Series. They also attracted four million fans a season during this time. With it’s roof open on a sunny afternoon and it’s location in downtown Toronto alongside the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre is a great place to spend an afternoon watching baseball. In the future Blue Jays fans may see baseball played on a grass field at the Rogers Centre. In December 2015 the team announced that they would install a dirt infield at the Rogers Centre. This eliminates the dirt cut-outs around the bases. The team is currently researching and analyzing the possibility of installing a grass field in 2018. This is dependent on several factors, including the Argonauts moving out of the Rogers Centre.

Rogers Centre Pictures SkyDome | Basketball Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Left Field Line - over 300 lbs. Left-Centre Power Alley - over 300 lbs. Centre Field - over 300 lbs. Right-Centre Power Alley - over 300 lbs. Right Field Line - over 300 lbs. Backstop - over 300 lbs. Rogers Centre (formerly known as SkyDome) is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the American League, and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). From 2008–2012, the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) are scheduled to play at the stadium for eight games (five regular-season and two pre-season) as part of the Bills Toronto Series. While it is primarily a sports venue, it also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, concerts, funfairs, and monster truck shows.

The stadium was renamed "Rogers Centre" following the purchase of the stadium by Rogers Communications, which also bought the Toronto Blue Jays, in 2005. [4] The venue was noted for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof, as well as for the 348-room hotel attached to it, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. It is also the most recent North American major-league stadium built to accommodate both football and baseball. The stadium will be the centrepiece of the 2015 Pan American Games as the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. [5] Contents [ show ] History The SkyDome, called the Rogers Centre since 2005, was designed by architect Rod Robbie and structural engineer Michael Allen and was constructed by the EllisDon Construction company of London, Ontario and the Dominion Bridge Company of Lachine, Quebec. The stadium's construction lasted about two and a half years, from October 1986 to May 1989. The approximate cost of construction was C$570 million which was paid for by the federal government, Ontario provincial government, the City of Toronto, and a large consortium of corporations.

[6] File:Rogers Center-restitched.jpg Background The idea for building an enclosed sports venue came following the Grey Cup game in November 1982, held at the outdoor Exhibition Stadium. The game was plagued by terrible weather that affected the patrons, who were viewing from stands that were not sheltered. Thousands spent most of the game in the concession section of the stadium, the crowd was drenched, and the washrooms were overflowing, which was on the whole a bad experience for the fans. In attendance that day was then-Ontario Premier Bill Davis, and the poor conditions were seen by over 7,862,000 television viewers in Canada (at the time the largest TV audience ever in Canada). [7] The following day, at a rally at Toronto City Hall, tens of thousands of people who were there to see the Toronto Argonauts began to chant, "We want a dome! We want a dome!" So too did others who began to discuss the possibility of an all-purpose, all-weather stadium. Seven months later, in June 1983, Premier Davis formally announced that a three-person committee would look into the feasibility of building a domed stadium at Exhibition Place.

The committee consisted of Paul Godfrey, Larry Grossman and former Ontario Hydro chairman Hugh Macaulay. [8] Over the next few years various tangible projects emerged, including a large indoor stadium at Exhibition Place with an air-supported dome, similar to BC Place in Vancouver. In 1985 an international design competition was launched to design a new stadium, along with selection of a site for the stadium. Some of the proposed sites included Exhibition Place, Downsview Airport, and York University. The final site was located at the base of the CN Tower not far from Union Station, a major railway and transit hub. The land was a major Canadian National Railway rail switching yard encompassing the CNR Spadina Roundhouse (the desolate downtown lands were part of a master plan for revitalizing the area which includes CityPlace). The price would be $150 million. Ultimately the Robbie/Allen concept won because it provided the largest roof opening of all the finalists, and it was the most technically sound. Stadium construction File:The audience.JPG The stadium officially opened on June 3, 1989 and hosted an official grand opening show: "The Opening of SkyDome: A Celebration".

It was broadcast on CBC television the following evening hosted by Brian Williams. With a crowd of over 50,000 in attendance, it was the first test of the new facility. The event was a showcase of Canadian talent, and included performances from a wide variety of acts. The celebrities consisted of Alan Thicke, Oscar Peterson, Andrea Martin of SCTV, impersonator André-Philippe Gagnon and rock band Glass Tiger. The roof was opened by the Premier of the Province, David Peterson, who pointed a laser pen at the ceiling to officially 'open' it. The roof opened, exposing the crowd to a downpour of rain. This while a crowd of famous Canadians sang a song on stage that was written specifically for the opening, with the lyrics: "Open up, Open up the Dome". Yet as the crowd got increasingly wet, they could be heard chanting "Close the roof". But Stadco president Chuck Magwood insisted that the roof fully open. And once open, a group of civilian skydivers flew into the now soaked stadium often skidding across the concrete floor to the cheers of the audience.

By the time the roof had opened, most of the crowd had sought refuge in the concourse areas and beneath the overhangs of the various parts of the structure. The event was broken down into the following acts: The Opening of SkyDome – A Celebration Act I – "Prelude to Forever" – "Oscar Peterson will perform this original composition with the Toronto Symphony." Act II – A Tribute to the Builders of SkyDome – "An Olympic-style entrance of those who represent the thousands of people responsible for the building of SkyDome." Act III – The Way We Were – "Featuring Theresa Pitt, the lead in Toronto’s company of Cats (the musical)." Act IV – "We are Toronto" – "From a small settlement and a few hundred settlers, Toronto has become a true window to the world.

The people of Toronto representing sixty-eight nations will celebrate the Opening of SkyDome in their native costumes." Act V – "Open up the Dome" – "Liberty Silver and Tommy Ambrose will perform this very special celebration number and will be joined by our 3,500 volunteer performers." Act VI – "Open up the Dome" Finale – "Our host Alan Thicke will re-introduce the performers and will join in a final celebration of the Opening of SkyDome." Financial problems and fallout File:Tree at Rogers.jpg The stadium would later become a thorn in the side of David Peterson's Ontario Liberal government for its overspending in the venture. The Ontario Liberal Party was defeated by the Ontario New Democratic Party in the 1990 Ontario election. A review by the new Bob Rae government in October 1990 revealed that the stadium was so in debt that it would have to be booked 600 days a year to turn a profit. The stadium had only made $17 million in its first year of operations, while servicing the debt was costing $40 million.

It was determined that the abrupt late inclusion by Stadco of a luxurious hotel and health club added an additional $112 million to the cost of the building. As the Province slipped into a recession, Bob Rae appointed University of Toronto professor Bruce Kidd and Bob White (then president of the Canadian Auto Workers) to the Stadco board to help deal with the stadium's growing debt. But by this time it was too late to reverse the costs. The completed stadium started life with a $165 million debt that ballooned to $400 million by 1993. The stadium became a huge liability to the Provincial Government, and as the economy soured, so did public support for the so-called "white elephant". In March 1994, Bob Rae's Ontario NDP government paid off all outstanding debts from the Provincial treasury, and sold the stadium for the massively discounted price of $151 million to a private consortium (including Labatt's parent company – Interbrew). In November 1998, the stadium filed for bankruptcy protection. One of the main reasons was that most of the Skybox contracts were up for renewal.

Most of the 161 Skybox tenants had signed on for 10 year leases; this oversight in business planning, and a marked decrease in interest in the stadium's two sports teams, resulted in a massive decrease in the amount companies were willing to pay for the Skybox. In addition, the Air Canada Centre was under construction just down the road, and selling highly desired boxes for the civic favourite Toronto Maple Leafs and new upstart Toronto Raptors , who originally played in the SkyDome since their establishment in 1995. Many companies could not justify owning box suites at both stadiums. That same month, the Blue Jays re-signed on for an additional ten years in the facility. Template:Citation needed In late 1998, Sportsco International LP bought the stadium out of bankruptcy protection for $85 million. Purchase and renaming File:Windows Restaurant in SkyDomeRogersCentre.JPG The venue was the first major team sports arena in North America to sport a functional, fully retractable roof (Montreal's Olympic Stadium also had a retractable roof, but due to operational issues, it was replaced with a permanent roof).

The roof is composed of four panels and covers an area of 345,000 sq.ft. The two middle panels slide laterally to stack over the north semi-circular panel, and then the south semi-circular panel rotates around the stadium and nests inside the stack. It takes 20 minutes for the roof to open or close. Even though the retractable roof would in theory permit the use of natural grass, in practice it is not feasible since the stadium was designed as a closed structure with a roof that opens, and as such the interior was not intended or built to deal with weather. As a result, the stadium has always used artificial turf. The original AstroTurf installation was replaced with FieldTurf from 2005 to 2010. The FieldTurf took about 40 hours to remove for events such as concerts or trade shows, as it used 1,400 trays that needed to be stacked and transported off the field. Prior to the 2010 baseball season, to reduce the amount of time required to convert the playing field, a new, roll-based version of AstroTurf was installed.

Similar to FieldTurf, the current installation uses a sand and rubber-based infill within the synthetic fibres. [13] The Rogers Centre is one of two remaining venues in Major League Baseball using artificial turf (the other one is Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida). There are a total of 5,700 club seats and 161 luxury suites at Rogers Centre. The complex had a Hard Rock Café restaurant (the restaurant closed when its lease expired at the end of 2009). [14] The Renaissance Toronto Hotel is also located within Rogers Centre, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. [15] Over $5 million of artwork was commissioned in 1989: The Audience – by Michael Snow is a collection of larger than life depictions of fans located above the northeast and northwest entrances. Painted gold, the sculptures show fans in various acts of celebration. A Tribute to Baseball – by Lutz Haufschild – located above the Southeast and Southwest entrances of Gate 5. The Art of the Possible – by Mimi Gellman – located inside along the north side of the concourse on Level 100.

The glass and steel sculpture incorporates the signatures of 2000 builders of SkyDome, and is a tribute to their work. Some of the artifacts found during excavation such as musket balls and pottery have also been included. The brightly illuminated sculpture became an issue to baseball players when the stadium first opened. The bright lights were considered a distraction to batters. Salmon Run – by Susan Schelle, located outside by the South East entrance; it is a large fountain that has various stainless steel salmon cutouts. Spiral Fountain – by Judith Schwarz. Seating capacity File:Rogers Centre video board.JPG The main video screen in the Rogers Centre is called the Rogers Centre videoboard and is also known during Blue Jays games as "JaysVision". Designed by Daktronics, the screen is over 300 lbs. high and over 300 lbs. across. The panel is made up of modular LED units that can be replaced unit by unit, and can be repaired immediately should it be damaged during an event. Originally, this screen was a Sony JumboTron before it was replaced.

The videoboard and the stadium played host to several television events, including the series finales for Cheers and Star Trek: The Next Generation, along with live coverage of the funeral of Princess Diana. Stadium usage File:Tigersbluejaysapril2008.jpg Besides baseball and Canadian football, Rogers Centre was the original home of the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors , who played at the venue from November 1995 to February 1999, while the Air Canada Centre was being built. It proved to be somewhat problematic as a basketball venue, even considering that it was only a temporary facility. For instance, many seats that were theoretically in line with the court were so far away that fans needed binoculars to see the action. Other seats were so badly obstructed that fans sitting there could only watch the game on the replay boards. For most games, Rogers Centre seated 22,900 people. However, the Raptors sometimes opened the upper level when popular opponents came to town, expanding capacity to 29,000. Rogers Centre has also hosted exhibition soccer, cricket, Gaelic football, Australian rules football, tennis]] and four NCAA International Bowl games.

The 1992 World Series and 1993 World Series were played at Rogers Centre. The World Wrestling Federation hosted WrestleMania VI and WrestleMania X8 at Rogers Centre in 1990 and 2002. [21] On May 31, 1997, the venue hosted a post Olympic track and field event that pitted Olympic track champions Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson, in a 150m race that was billed as a competition for the title of the "World's Fastest Man". Bailey won the race, completing it in a time of 15 seconds and winning the 1.5 million dollar prize. Johnson pulled up lame at the 110m mark claiming a quadriceps injury. Soccer matches have been regularly held in recent years; they had been rarely played at the venue when its AstroTurf surface had been in place. [22] On June 8, 2005, an international soccer friendly between Serbia-Montenegro and Italy took place, ending in a 1-1 draw.

[22] Rogers Centre is the site of several major high school and collegiate sporting competitions: Prentice Cup for baseball and, from 1989 to 2003, the Vanier Cup championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football (then SkyDome). Since 2008, the Rogers Centre is the host of the Greater Toronto high school's Metro Bowl. [23] File:Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Rogers Centre, October 27 2005.jpg In January 2007, Rogers Centre played host to the first ever International Bowl, an NCAA college football game between Western Michigan University and the University of Cincinnati. In 2008, Rutgers played Ball State in the second International Bowl. The University at Buffalo Bulls and the University of Connecticut Huskies played in the third International Bowl on January 3, 2009. In November 2007, it hosted the 95th Grey Cup, its first since 1992 and third all-time.

It was also the venue for the 2007 Desjardins Vanier Cup on Friday November 23, just two days before Grey Cup Sunday. It was the 16th Vanier Cup hosted at SkyDome/Rogers Centre, returning after a three year absence in which it was hosted by Hamilton, Ontario (2004 and 2005) and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (2006). It was the 56th Grey Cup hosted by the city of Toronto since the championship's inception in 1909, and the 40th Vanier Cup hosted by the Toronto since that championship's inception in 1965. The National Football League's Buffalo Bills announced its intentions to play five "home" games (and three pre-season games) in Rogers Centre in October 2007; the first of these regular-season games took place on December 7 of the 2008 NFL season versus the Miami Dolphins. [24] It marked the first time an NFL team has established a "home" stadium outside the United States. The Bills played a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Rogers Centre on August 14, 2008.

(See Bills Toronto Series for more information regarding this.) In 2007, Bruce Power, Canada's largest private nuclear operating company, struck a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays that would allow the energy producing company to power the Rogers Centre with emissions-free electricity. Games in the first round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic were played at the Rogers Centre. [25] On July 16, 2010, the stadium hosted a friendly soccer match between England's Manchester United F.C. and Scotland's Celtic F.C. Manchester United F.C. defeated Celtic F.C. with a score of 3–1. On April 30, 2011 Ultimate Fighting Championship are scheduled to host their first event, UFC 129, in Ontario's history. Originally setup for 42,000 seats the event sold out on the first day of ticket sales. Changes were made to accommodate another 13,000 seats. Fans responded bringing the total seat sales to 55,000 - breaking previous UFC records. For the 2015 Pan American Games, the Rogers Centre will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as baseball.

Concerts The stadium has several concert configurations, including smaller Theatre (capacity 5,000 to 7,000) and Concert Hall (formerly SkyTent; capacity 10,000-25,000). Due to the design of the stadium and building materials used, the acoustics have been known to be rather poor, and the loudness/quality can vary greatly around the stadium. Its popularity with artists and fans has diminished over the years, with most stadium concerts now taking place at the Air Canada Centre . The SkyTent, a group of acoustical curtain sails that is hoisted on rigging above the floor, is used to help reduce sound distortion and improve sound quality by dampening reverberations around the stadium. Soon after its opening, the stadium became a popular venue for large scale rock concerts and is the largest indoor concert venue in Toronto. The dome has been open for only four concerts: Bruce Springsteen's show in 2003 and U2's two concerts in 2009, as well as their concert in 2011, all part of their 360° Tour.

[26] [27] [28] Bon Jovi performed two sellout shows on July 20 and 21, 2010 at the Rogers Centre. One of the more notable concerts, as shown in the documentary Truth or Dare, was Madonna 's 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour show. The touring show had become extremely controversial, due to the risqué visuals and performances. When the concert arrived in Toronto, police were alerted that the show might violate local obscenity laws. The police were on site for the concert and threatened charges without changes. The show went on as planned, however, without any legal action taken. Other uses Rogers Centre contains 143,000 sq.ft. of exhibition space, allowing it to host a variety of events year-round. It is home to several annual auto shows, with the Canadian International AutoShow in February and Importfest in October. Travelling shows like World Wrestling Entertainment (which has used the facility to host two WrestleMania events and a WWE RAW in February 1999), Disney on Ice , Monster Jam , Supercross and circuses also have used the venue.

The Opening Ceremonies of the XVI International AIDS Conference were held at Rogers Centre on August 13, 2006. Template:Citation needed It has also hosted many public speakers , including appearances by the Dalai Lama , Christian Evangelist Billy Graham , Nelson Mandela , and J. K. Rowling , for a book reading. [29] In addition to being a venue that hosts sports, concerts and other events, the Rogers Centre also houses the head offices of a number of businesses. The Toronto Blue Jays has its office headquarters located in the building and until 2008, the Toronto Argonauts did as well. It is also the home of the head offices of Ticketmaster Canada and Zuffa Canada. [30] [31] [32] Rogers Centre is the home of the main Ticketmaster outlet (ticket centre) for eastern Canada, located at the south end of the building beside Gate 9. As well, the building contains the Toronto Renaissance Hotel , a Premier Fitness/Health Club, a Rogers Plus store, (formerly) a Hard Rock Cafe , and Windows Restaurant. Starting in 2006, the Hard Rock Cafe only opened when there was a performance in the building.

Template:Citation needed On non-event days, there are daily tours of the Rogers Centre. Attendance records 1998 – November – SkyDome files for bankruptcy protection 1998 – SkyDome is bought by Sportsco. 2001 – April 12 – The game against The Kansas City Royals was cancelled due to the roof jamming during a test run, sending chunks of the roof crashing to the field below. [40] 2001 – August 3 – the roof was closed in the 3rd inning of a Toronto Blue Jays game, at the request of home plate umpire Tim Welke due to a major infestation of aphids . 2002 - March 17 - WrestleMania X8 sets SkyDome attendance record of 68,237. 2005 – February 2 – Rogers Communications buys the Stadium and renames it Rogers Centre. 2007 – November 25 – Rogers Centre plays host to the 95th Grey Cup , the first in Toronto in 15 years. The Saskatchewan Roughriders defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 in the game.

2008 - August 14 - Rogers Centre plays host to a pre-season National Football League game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers , the first of a 5 year lease deal that will see the Bills playing occasional home games in Toronto 2011 - April 30 - Rogers Centre held the first UFC event, UFC 129, first to be held in a stadium, signifying UFC 129 as the biggest MMA event in North America so far. 2011 - June 25 - Rogers Centre successfully held the first International Indian Film Academy Awards event in North America. Facts and figures The stadium roof has a patent, preventing its design from being easily copied: U.S. Patent #05167097. Officially registered on December 1, 1992 to dome designers, architect Rod Robbie and structural engineer Michael Allen. To accommodate American fans, United States currency is accepted throughout the stadium. [41] The original mascot of the stadium was a turtle by the name of Domer. When the retractable roof is open, people standing on the observation deck of the nearby CN Tower can look down on the field.

50 million people have visited SkyDome/Rogers Centre. When the roof is open, 91% of the seats and 100% of the field is open to the sky, covering an area of 3.2 hectares (8 acres). The roof weighs 11,000 tons, and is held together by 250,000 bolts. The stadium's inward-looking hotel rooms have regular two-way windows , yielding instances of what some could consider indecent exposure . When SkyDome first opened, a couple engaging in sexual intercourse was televised on the scoreboard Jumbotron during a baseball game. Days later, a man was caught masturbating during a game in full view of the packed stands. The man, later tracked down by a Sports Illustrated reporter, calmly said, "I thought they were one-way windows." Patrons now have to sign contracts stipulating that they will not perform any lewd acts within view of the stadium. When the stadium first opened, the Toronto Transit Commission was worried about the challenge of moving the large crowds. As a way to streamline the entry to the subway and to encourage public transit use to the stadium, all tickets for the first 30 days also worked as a Metropass .

The stadium corporation has been requested to help in the planning of other venues from the U.S., Netherlands, England, Australia, New Zealand, to Singapore, China and Germany (Source Rogers Centre Press release). It was the most expensive stadium in both the CFL and Major League Baseball , constructed at a price of C$ 570 million ($ Template:Formatprice in 2017 dollars Template:Inflation-fn ). This record was passed by the New Yankee Stadium at a cost of US$1.3 billion. If Montreal's Olympic Stadium (which used to be the home field of the Expos , only used for CFL playoff games since the late 2000s) were counted, it would take the title, with a 1976 cost of C$1.6 billion ($ Template:Formatprice in 2017 dollars Template:Inflation-fn ). See also Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox Event: Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox Venue: U.S. Cellular Field Find more info on Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox in Chicago The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.

The White Sox are members of the American League (AL) Central division in Major League Baseball (MLB). The White Sox play their home games at U.S. Cellular Field. They are one of two major league clubs in Chicago; the other is the Chicago Cubs, who are a member of the National League (NL) Central division. The team is currently owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major league baseball club in 1900. The club was originally called the Chicago White Stockings, but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. The team played home games at South Side Park before, in 1910, moving to Comiskey Park for the next eight decades. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a defense-oriented team dubbed "the Hitless Wonders", and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte, Eddie Collins, and Shoeless Joe Jackson. The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal, in which several members of the White Sox were accused of conspiring with gamblers to fix games.

In response, Major League Baseball's new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life. In 1959, led by Early Wynn, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez, the White Sox won the American League pennant. They won the AL pennant again in 2005, when they also went on to win the World Series. The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Blue Jays are a member of the East division of the American League (AL) in Major League Baseball (MLB), and play their home games at Rogers Centre (formerly known as SkyDome). The "Blue Jays" name originates from the bird of the same name, and blue is also the traditional colour of two of Toronto's other professional sports teams: the Maple Leafs (ice hockey) and the Argonauts (Canadian football). In addition, the team was originally owned by the Labatt Brewing Company, makers of the popular beer Labatt's Blue. Colloquially nicknamed the "Jays", the team's official colours are royal blue, navy blue, red, and white.

An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Toronto in 1977. Originally based at Exhibition Stadium, the team began playing its home games at SkyDome, upon its opening in 1989. Since 2000, the Blue Jays have been owned by Rogers Communications and in 2004, SkyDome was purchased by that company, which it renamed Rogers Centre. They are the second MLB franchise to be based outside the United States, and currently the only team based outside the US after the first Canadian franchise, the Montreal Expos, relocated to Washington, D.C. after the 2004 season and became the Washington Nationals. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays went through struggles typical of an expansion team, frequently finishing in last place in its division. In 1983, the team had its first winning season and two years later, they became division champions. From 1985–1993, they were an AL East powerhouse, winning five division championships in nine seasons, including three consecutive from 1991–93.

During that run, the team also became back-to-back World Series champions in 1992 and 1993, led by a core group of award-winning All-Star players, including Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, John Olerud, and Devon White. The Blue Jays became the first (and, to date, only) team outside the US to appear in and win a World Series, and the fastest AL expansion team to do so, winning in its 16th year. After 1993, the Blue Jays failed to qualify for the playoffs for 21 consecutive seasons, until clinching a playoff berth and division championship in 2015. The Blue Jays are one of three MLB teams under corporate ownership, with the other two being the Seattle Mariners (Nintendo of America) and the Atlanta Braves (Liberty Media). Things to Do in Toronto - Blue Jays Major League Baseball Games Things to Do in Toronto - Blue Jays Major League Baseball Games About 7 month(s) ago by MediaConnect One of the best ways to spend a summer afternoon or evening is at the ballpark, watching a game of baseball and having fun in the stands with your friends.

Get in on the Major League Baseball action with the Toronto Blue Jays, and cheer for the home team. Part of the East Division of the American League of the MLB, the Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth and division championship in 2015 - and hopes are high for the team this year. You'll find them at home games in Rogers Centre, which was formerly known as the SkyDome. This downtown ballpark was the first with a fully retractable roof, and it features numerous club suites and luxury boxes. Rogers Center is located at 18 King Street East, just one kilometer away from our downtown hotel - about a five-minute walk. Stay with us and enjoy a central location for going to baseball games, and exploring all the top things to do in Toronto. Sleek and appealing, our rooms include 42" TVs, Keurig coffeemakers and minibars. Suites are also available, with upgraded features such as whirlpool tubs, wet bars and libraries. Do you have questions about staying at our hotel? Would you like our concierge to help arrange Blue Jays tickets for you? Please contact us today.

Driving Downtown - Toronto's Sports Street - Toronto Canada - YouTube Driving Downtown - Toronto's Sports Street - Toronto Canada Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 31, 2016 Driving Downtown Streets - Bremner Boulevard - Toronto Ontario Canada - Episode 28. Starting Point: Fort York Boulevard - . Toronto has teams in nearly every major professional sport, including the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Toronto Argonauts (CFL), Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto Rock (NLL), Toronto FC (MLS), and the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL). Throughout the sports world, Toronto is perhaps best known for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although Toronto has not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, the city is renowned as a hockey town. Air Canada Centre (home of the Leafs, Raptors, and Rock) and Rogers Centre (home of the Argonauts and Blue Jays) are located in the downtown core and are within walking distance from one another via Bremner Boulevard.

The Rogers Centre was the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof. BMO Field (home of Toronto FC) and Ricoh Coliseum (home of the Toronto Marlies) are located at Exhibition Place, situated just outside the downtown core, while also being within walking distance from one another. Hockey The city is known for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League, a team with passionate support in the city, and the most financially successful sport franchise in the country. The team built Maple Leaf Gardens, a sporting venue which served as the home arena for the Maple Leafs, and was also used for cultural and other events. Since 1999, they have played in the Air Canada Centre. Baseball Professional baseball has had a presence in the city at the minor league level since 1896 with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the AAA International League. It was in a game against the Leafs on September 4, 1914 at Hanlan's Point Stadium where Babe Ruth hit his first ever professional home run[17] while also pitching a complete game one-hitter for the visiting Providence Grays. Hall of famer Sparky Anderson was also a member of the Leafs as both a player and a manager.

The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. The team plays its home games at the Rogers Centre (formerly known as the SkyDome). Basketball The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. When the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, the Raptors became the only Canadian-based team in the NBA. They originally played their home games at the SkyDome (since renamed Rogers Centre in 2005), before moving eastward along Bremner Boulevard to the Air Canada Centre in 1999. Football Toronto is home to the oldest professional football team in North America, the Toronto Argonauts, who have won the Grey Cup championship a record 15 times.

Toronto has also played host to the Grey Cup Championship 46 times, more than any other city and most recently the 100th Grey Cup in 2012, which was won by the home town Argonauts. The Argos were founded in 1873 by the Argonaut Rowing Club, and is referred to as the Boatmen in honour of that heritage. The team is also known as the double blue because of the franchise colours (Oxford blue and Cambridge blue); the colour blue has become emblematic of the city and most of its sport franchises. The Argos also draw the highest per-game attendance of any sports team in Toronto and draw the second highest per-game TV ratings nationally of any Toronto-based sports team (after the Maple Leafs hockey club).

In the early 1970s, Maple Leaf Gardens Limited announced plans to apply for a second Canadian Football League team to be based in Toronto which would play at Varsity Stadium, but the proposal never went anywhere.[137][138][139] During his tenure as owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ballard repeatedly threatened to move the franchise to Varsity Stadium,[140] but the move was vetoed by the Argos. Skydome: BaseballChronology BaseballChronology "A sense of humor and a good bullpen." -- Whitey Herzog , Kansas City Royals manager on what it takes to be a good manager Skydome By Wikipedia SkyDome, also known as Rogers Centre (another example of an owner's ego getting in the way of a good name), is a multi-purpose stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario. It is home to Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts. While it is primarily a sports venue, Skydome also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, and concerts. At a glance...

(Sold to Blue Jays for $25M in 2005) Toronto Blue Jays (MLB, 1989-) Toronto Raptors (NBA, 1995-1999) Right Field - 328 ft Backstop - 60 ft SkyDome is also noted for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof. History Rogers Centre was designed by Rod Robbie and Michael Allen and was constructed by Ellis-Don Construction of Toronto. The stadium's construction lasted just over three years, from April 1986 to May 1989. The approximate cost of construction was $600 million (CAD) which was paid for by the Canadian federal government, Ontario provincial government, and a large consortium of corporations. Though nominally a multi-purpose stadium the primary impetus for its construction was the need for a new baseball stadium for the Blue Jays, who until 1989 played in the wholly inadequate Exhibition Stadium . Fly to the SkyDome! If you have Google Earth installed, click here to be "flown" to the site of the SkyDome. (If you do not have it installed, get it from Google .

It allows you to view virtually anywhere on Earth in 3D using satellite imagery.) In the early 1990s the consortium of companies that had built the stadium had amassed a huge debt and a massive, and controversial, government bail-out was given them. However, by 2004, Rogers Communications, parent company of the Blue Jays, agreed to acquire SkyDome from Sportco International, LP for about $25 million CAD (about $21.24 million USD) which was 1/24 the cost of construction. Recent Developments On February 2, 2005 Ted Rogers, President and CEO of Rogers Communications, which owns the Blue Jays, announced that his company will significantly increase the Blue Jays team payroll to the tune of $210 million over the next three seasons, starting in 2005 and announced a three-year corporate contract to change the name of SkyDome to the Rogers Centre. While many sportswriters and broadcasters are forced to use the new name, we prefer the old one and will continue to use it on this site.

After the purchase, Rogers refurbished the stadium by erecting a new state of the art, integrated scoring and display system along with replacing the Jumbotron . Rogers Centre features a new artificial playing surface called FieldTurf . Skydome! Rogers Centre on the Jays 2005 Home Opener. Note the new Jumbotron , FieldTurf and video boards on the outfield walls and ring video board between the 200 and 300 levels. This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License . Photo by 'Canadian popcan' In May 2005, the Toronto Argonauts agreed to three 5 years leases at Rogers Centre, which could see the Argonauts playing out of Rogers Centre until 2020. The team has the option to leave at the end of each of the three lease agreements. The Argos also announced that they will not move into a new stadium being built at York University, a project which York subsequently cancelled. FIRSTS at SKYDOME Primary research by Jim Herdman & David Vincent Courtesy of Retrosheet. Features SkyDome was the first major team sports arena in North America to sport a fully retractable roof.

The roof is composed of four panels and covers an area of 345,000 square feet. It takes 20 minutes for the roof to open or close. The venue is also well known for its enormous Jumbotron television, at 30 by 100 feet. For a while, it was the largest of its kind in the world. The Jumbotron and the stadium played host to several television events, including the series finales for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Cheers . The centre also has an on-site fitness club, hotel, and Hard Rock Cafe. Such features may seem quaint here in the 21st Century, but they and the retractable roof were downright revolutionary in the late Awesome80s. This stadium may have been the last of the bland, concrete multipurpose stadiums before Camden Yards changed baseball for better, but it was the coolest stadium on the planet when it opened. Other Sports Besides baseball and Canadian football, SkyDome was the original home of the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors, who played at the venue from November 1995 - February 1999. The centre has also hosted exhibition soccer and NFL games.

In June 1997, SkyDome featured a well-publicized 150 meter race between sprinters Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson. Soccer matches have also become commonplace in the past few years. Previous attempts were few and far between when the old Astroturf was in place. SkyDome is the site of several major high school and collegiate sporting competitions including the Prentice Cup for baseball and, from 1989 to 2003, the Vanier Cup for Canadian Interuniversity Sport football. Other Uses Besides sporting events, the Rogers Centre contains a large exhibit space of 143,000 square feet (13,000 mï¿½) that hosts a variety of events year-round. It is home to several annual auto shows, with the Canadian International AutoShow in February and Importfest in October. Travelling shows like World Wrestling Entertainment (which has used the facility to host two WrestleMania events, WM VI and WM X8), Disney On Ice and circuses also have used the venue.

Rogers Centre is the largest indoor concert venue in Toronto and over the years it has hosted many international acts including U2, The Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, Avril Lavigne, and Andy Lau. The stadium has several concert configurations, including smaller Theatre (capacity 5,000 to 7,000) and Concert Hall (formerly SkyTent; capacity 10,000-25,000) setups with acoustical curtains to improve sound quality. The centre has also hosted many public speakers, including appearances by the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and J. K. Rowling, for a book reading. Trivia The original mascot of the stadium was a turtle by the name of Domer. It is the tallest and most massive stadium used by any Major League Baseball team. The retractable roof was reportedly a demand made by the Blue Jays, who hoped that it would kill the deal, and they could make their own park exclusively for baseball. Natural grass was installed at SkyDome in July 2004 for international soccer games between Liverpool versus Porto on July 30 and AS Roma versus Celtic on July 31.

Home to the 1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the 1992 and 1993 World Series. Related Books on Ballparks Sports Staff of USA Today. The Complete 4 Sport Stadium Guide . Fodor's, 1996. Stadium Design and Financing References: Philip Bess. City Baseball Magic : Plain Talk and Uncommon Sense about Cities and Baseball Parks. Knothole Press, 1999. Joanna Cagan and Neil deMause. Field of Schemes : How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit. Common Courage Press, 1998. Kevin J. Delaney, Rick Eckstein. Public Dollars, Private Stadiums: The Battle over Building Sports Stadiums . Rutgers University Press, 2004. Roger G. Noll and Andrew Zimbalist. Sports, Jobs, and Taxes : The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums. Brookings Institution, 1997. Dean V. Baim. The Sports Stadium as a Municipal Investment . Greenwood Publishing, 1994. Stadia : A Design and Development Guide by Geraint John and Rod Sheard.

Architectural Press, 2000. Michelle Provoost, Matthjis Bouw and Camiel Van Winkel. The Stadium : Architecture of Mass Sport. NAI Publishers, 2000. Share Your Memories! Our sites have always been by you and about you. If you check our TV Forums or our Technology & Science forums , you'll find literally thousands of messages from fans of 1970s TV shows, survivors of hurricanes or aircraft accidents, etc. from all over the world sharing their memories, asking questions, making comments. Our baseball section is new, but don't let that stop you from sharing your memories of the first game you went to, your favorite player, a now-forgotten stadium, etc. Of course you can also ask questions, post trivia, tell the world what you think of Barry Bonds, or just read what others are saying.

--Patrick Mondout Rogers Centre - Skydome, Toronto, Canada, 1347 insider tips, photos, reviews & tickets Rogers Centre Toronto City Hop-on Hop-off Tour The Toronto City Hop-on Hop-off Tour runs in a continuous circle from 9:00am until 4:00pm with many stops near major hotels in the downtown area. Your ticket is valid for three touring days which gives you ample time to explore the many attractions Tor"""Experience the sights sounds and history of multi-cultural Toronto at your speed on your time. Your ticket on the Toronto City Hop-on Hop-off Tour allows you to see the city with professional drivers and commentary all the while giving you the complete flexibility to visit some of Toronto's sights major attractions Private Toronto Layover Walking Tour "Stop spending your layover in Toronto stuck in a boring crowded airport. Instead plan ahead and spend your five or six hour layover on a private walking tour of downtown Toronto.

Your experienced tour guide will meet and greet you at the airport.This walking tour is 100% customizeable and provides you with the perfect opportu who will be able to provide recommendations for things to do that cater to your group's interests.Please note that while the walking portion of the tour is included in the price any additional charges for activities and attractions such as traveling to the observation deck of the CN Tower or going into the Hockey Hall of Fame is not included in the price of the tour. These will be charged additionally.Upon completion of the walking tour Toronto Harborfront Walking Tour with Photo Session "Meet at the great arrival point of Union Station on Front St inside the great hall by the clock and information booth. From there you will make your way along the Skywalk taking in the CN Tower and Rogers Centre where the Blue Jays play. Next head across to the Roundhouse park area with old train carriages for great photo opportunities.As you walk towards Lake Ontario you'll pass by popular attractions like the Powerplant

Question: Which Major League Baseball team play home games at the Rogers Centre (formerly known as Skydome)?
Answer: TORONTO BLUE JAYS